Konstantinos Mertis Professor of Inorganic Chemistry National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Department of Chemistry

Education

• B.Sc. in Chemistry, University of Athens (1968)
• Ph.D. in Chemistry, University of Warwick, England (1972)

• Research Fellow, Imperial College of Science and Technology, University of London, England (1972-1980; Prof. Sir G. Wilkinson)
• Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry, University of Athens (1980-1984)
• Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry, University of Athens (1984-1990)
• Professor, Department of Chemistry, University of Athens (1990-)

Administrative Activities

• Chairman of the Chemistry Department, University of Athens (2003-2005)
• Director of the Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory  and Section
• Member of the Senate of University of Athens
• Board member of the Research Committee of the National Hellenic Research Institute
• Chairman of the Committee for Graduate Studies, University of Athens
• Member of the Committee for Post-graduate Studies, University of Athens
• Liaison officer for the ERASMUS and SOCRATES student exchange programmes with European Community Universities, University of Athens
• Member of the Division of Organometallic Chemistry (EuCheMS)

Scientific Activities

• Member of  Scientific Committees
• FIGIPAS Meetings in Inorganic Chemistry
• Hellenic Conferences on Chemistry
• Hellenic Catalysis Symposia
• Hellenic Symposia on Green Chemistry
• Member of the Association of Greek Chemists
•  Member of the Hellenic catalysis Society
• Member of the Hellenic Green Chemistry Network
• Coordinator or participant in European and Greek research projects

Research Fields of Interest

• Synthetic and Mechanistic Inorganic and Organometallic Chemistry
• Synthesis, characterisation and reactivity studies of transition metal clusters containing metal-metal multiple bonds
• Homogeneous Catalysis
• Catalysis for clean/sustainable energy conversion
• Dihydrogen formation (2H⁺ + 2e^- --> H₂)
• Dioxygen activation and reduction (O₂ + 4H⁺ + 4e^- --> 2H₂O)
• Oxidation or dehydrogenation of alcohols (RCH₂OH --> RCHO + 2H⁺ + 2e^-,   RCH₂OH --> RCHO + H₂)
• Sustainable fine chemicals production
• Chemo-, regio-, and stereoselective oxidation of alcohols
• Epoxidation of olefins
• Selective hydrolysis of nitriles
• Precision metathesis polymerisation of substituted alkynes and cyclic olefins (ROMP)
• Alkane activation
• Oxidation of alkanes

• Prof. Nikos Hadjichristidis, University of Athens, Greece
• Assoc. Prof. Marinos Pitsikalis, University of Athens, Greece
  
• Prof. Athanassios Coutsolelos, University of Crete, Greece
• Prof. Jiri Vohlidal, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
• Prof. Pierre Dixneuf, University of Rennes, France
• Assoc. Prof. Pericles Stavropoulos, Missouri University of Science & Technology, U.S.A.
• Curators' Prof. Nicholas Leventis, Missouri University of Science & Technology, U.S.A.

Teaching

• Organometallic Chemistry
• Homogeneous Catalysis
• Catalysis with Clusters

Publications

1.     “Mechanistic studies in the course of a σ-but-3-enyl to 1-3-n-but-2-enyl-nickel transformation” Brown, J. M.; Mertis, K. J. Chem. Soc., Perkins Trans. 1973, 1993.

       http://www.rsc.org/Publishing/Journals/P2/article.asp?doi=P29730001993

2.      “Incipient Chirality in Organometallic Triphenylphospine derivatives” Brown, J. M.; Mertis, K. J. Organomet. Chem. 1973, 47, C5.

       doi:10.1016/S0022-328X(00)92825-0

3.      “Reactions of Potassium carbonyl (π-cyclopentadienyl)nickelate with butenyl and cyclopropylmethyl halides” Brown, J. M.; Connely, J. A.; Mertis, K. J. Chem. Soc. Perkins Trans. II 1974, 905.

       http://www.rsc.org/Publishing/Journals/P2/article.asp?doi=P29740000905

4.      “Tetramethyloxorhenium(I), a paramagnetic d¹ alkyl” Mertis, K.; Gibson, J. F.; Wilkinson, G. J. Chem. Soc., Chem. Commun. 1974, 93.

       http://www.rsc.org/Publishing/Journals/C3/article.asp?doi=C3974000093a

5.      “The Chemistry of rhenium alkyls. Part I. Synthesis and properties of oxorhenium(VI) methyl and trimethylsilyl-methyl compounds” Mertis, K.; Wilkinson, G. J. Chem. Soc., Dalton Trans. 1975, 607.

       http://www.rsc.org/Publishing/Journals/DT/article.asp?doi=DT9750000607

6.      “The Chemistry of rhenium alkyls. Part II. Electron spin resonance and electronic absorption spectra of oxotetraalkyl rhenium(VI)” Soc, J. F.; Mertis, K.; Wilkinson, G. J. Chem. Soc., Dalton Trans. 1975, 1093.

       http://www.rsc.org/Publishing/Journals/DT/article.asp?doi=DT9750001093

7.      “New synthesis of hexamethyltungsten(VI) and dioxomethylrhenium(VII)” Calyer, L.; Mertis, K.; Wilkinson, G. J. Organomet. Chem. 1975, 85, C37.

       doi:10.1016/S0022-328X(00)80315-0

8.      “Permethyls of Tantalum, Tungsten and Rhenium. A WARNING” Mertis, K.; Galyer, L.; Wilkinson, G. J. Organomet. Chem. 1975, 97, C65.

       doi:10.1016/S0022-328X(00)80315-0

9.      “Trimethylsilylmethyl and methyl compounds of Manganese, Cobalt and Uranium” Andersen, R.; Carmona-Guzman, E.; Sigurdson, E.; Mertis, K.; Wilkinson, G. J. Organometallic Chem. 1975, 99, C19.

       doi:10.1016/S0022-328X(00)80315-0

10.  “The Chemistry of Rhenium alkyls. Part III. The synthesis and reactions of hexamethylrhenium(VI), cis-dioxotrimethylrhenium(VII) and octamethylrhenate(VI) ion” Mertis, K.; Wilkinson, G. J Chem. Soc., Dalton Trans. 1976, 1488.

       http://www.rsc.org/Publishing/Journals/DT/article.asp?doi=DT9760001488

11.  “The Chemistry of Rhenium alkyls. Part IV. Electron spin resonance spectra of hexamethylrhenium(VI) and the octamethylrhenate(VI) ion” Gibson, J. F.; Luck, G.; Mertis, K.; Wilkinson, G. J. Chem. Soc., Dalton Trans. 1976, 1492.

       http://www.rsc.org/Publishing/Journals/DT/article.asp?doi=DT9760001492

12.  “Rhenium Cluster Alkyls” Mertis, K.; Masters, A. F.; Wilkinson, G. J. Chem. Soc., Chem. Commun. 1976, 858.

       http://www.rsc.org/Publishing/Journals/C3/article.asp?doi=C39760000858

13.  “Synthesis and Structure of Dilithium Octamethyldirhenate(III)” Cotton, F. A.; Cage, L. D.; Mertis, K.; Slive, L.; Wilkinson, G. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1976, 98, 6922.

      http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/ja00457a016?prevSearch=%255Bauthor%253A%2Bmertis%255D&searchHistoryKey=

14.  “Chemistry and Rhenium alkyls, Cluster alkyls of Rhenium(III) and Rhenium(IV): Dimeric octaalkyl dinitrogen compounds of Rhenium(IV), Dirhenium(II) tetraalkyl” Masters, A. F.; Mertis, K.; Gibson, J. Nouv. J. Chim. 1977, 1, 389.

15.  “Preparation and Characterization of Compounds Containing the Octamethylditungsten(II) Anion and partially chlorinated analogues” Cotton, F. A.; Koch, S.; Mertis, K.; Millar, M.; Wilkinson, G. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1977, 99, 4989.

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/ja00457a016?prevSearch=%255Bauthor%253A%2Bmertis%255D&searchHistoryKey=

16.  “Photoelectron spectra of some transition metal alkyls and oxoalkyls” Green, J. C.; Mertis, K.; Wilkinson, G. J. Chem. Soc., Dalton Trans. 1978, 1403.

       doi:10.1039/DT9780001403

17.  “Interactions of trirhenium(III) cluster alkyls with carboxylic acids, β-diketonates and diphenyltriazenes” Edwards, P. C.; Felix, F.; Mertis, K.; Wilkinson, G. J. Chem. Soc., Dalton Trans. 1979, 361.

       http://www.rsc.org/Publishing/Journals/DT/article.asp?doi=DT9790000361

18.“Trirhenium(III) cluster alkyls. Synthesis of tertiary phosphine adducts: cleavage to rhenium(III) and (II) dimers, reactions with carbon monoxide, nitric oxide and hydrogencloride. X-ray structural determination of hexaomethyl-bis-(diethylphosphine)-μ-trimethyltriagulotrirhenium(III) and pentakis(trimethylsilylmethyl)trimethylsilylmethyl-N-nitroso-hydroxyaminato-μ-trichlorotriagulorhenium(III)” Edwards, P. G.; Mertis, K.; Wilkinson, G. J. Chem. Soc., Dalton Trans. 1980, 334.

       http://www.rsc.org/Publishing/Journals/DT/article.asp?doi=DT9800000334

19.  “Interaction of Hydrogen with hexakis(trimethylsilylmethyl)-μ-trichloro-triagulotrirhenium(III); the X-ray crystal structure of nonakis-(trimethylsilyl methyl) hydrido-μ-hexachloro-hexarhenium. New types of rhenium (III) alkyls” Mertis, K.; Edwards, P. G.; Wilkinson, G. J. Chem. Soc., Dalton Trans. 1980, 654.

       http://pubs.rsc.org/en/Content/ArticleLanding/1980/C3/C39800000654

20.“The interaction of Hydrogen with Tri-μ-chloro-hexakis(trimethylsilymethyl)-triangulo-trirhenium(III), its adducts with carbon monoxide, triphenyl phosphines and pyridine and with Tri-μ-chloro-chloropentakis (trimethylsilymethyl)-triangulo-trirhenium(III). The X-Ray Crystal Structures of Hydrodononakis (trimethylsilylmethyl)bis(tris-μ-chloro-triangulo-trirhenium)(III). Tri-μ-chloro-hydridotetrakis (trimethylsylylmethyl) (triphenylphosphine) triangulo-trirhenium(III), and syn, syn-anti trichloro-tris(μ-trimethyl-silylmethyl)triangulo trirhenium(III)” Mertis, K., Edwards, P. G.; Wilkinson, G. J. Chem. Soc., Dalton Trans. 1981, 705.

       http://www.rsc.org/Publishing/Journals/DT/article.asp?doi=DT9810000705

21.  “Aqueous redox chemistry of dinuclear clusters. A mechanistic study of proton oxidative addition to [Mo₂Cl₈]^4- ion and the Homogeneous reduction of [Mo₂(μ-X)(μ-Cl)₂Cl₆]^3-, X = H, Cl by aqueous chromium(II)” Mertis, K.; Kravaritou, M.; Shehadeh, A.; Katakis, D. Polyhedron 1987, 6, 1975.

       doi:10.1016/S0277-5387(00)84534-9

22.  “Homogeneous Catalytic Hydrogen formation using a ditungsten cluster and low valency metal ions in aqueous acidic solutions” Mertis K.; Psaroudakis N. Polyhedron 1989, 8, 469.

       doi:10.1016/S0277-5387(00)80743-3

23.  “Electrochemical reduction of Re₃Cl₉ in aqueous acidic solutions. Isolation and crystal structure characterization of the one electron reduced product as the tricesium μ₃-sulphato-hexachloro-tri(μ-chloro)-triangulo-trirhenium complex, Cs₃[Re₃Cl₉(μ₃-SΟ₄)]” Mertis, K.; Psaroudakis, N.; Terzis, A.; Houndas, A. Polyhedron 1991, 10, 741.

       doi:10.1016/S0277-5387(00)83763-8

24.  “Homogeneous catalytic hydrogen formation using dinuclear multiply bonded complexes of Molybdenum(III) and Tungsten(III) and low-valency metal ions, M = Cr(II), V(II) in aqeous acidic solutions” Mertis, C.; Cravaritou, M.; Chorianopoulou, M.; Koinis, S.; Psaroudakis, N. in: Properties and Chemistry of Biomolecular Systems, N. Russo et al. (eds.), Kluwer Academic Publishers, 1994, pp. 321-329.

25.  “Redox chemistry of the [Re₃(μ-Cl)₃X₉]^3- halides (X = Cl or Br); isolation and structural characterization of the [{Re₃(μ-Cl)₃Br₆(H₂O)(μ-O)}]^2- cluster anion” Psaroudakis, N.; Terzis, A.; Raptopoulou, C.; Mertis, K. J. Chem. Soc., Dalton Trans. 1997, 3299.

       http://www.rsc.org/Publishing/Journals/DT/article.asp?doi=a702938a

26.  “Structural and Functional Characteristics of Rhenium Clusters Derived from Redox Chemistry of the [Re₃^III(μ-Cl)₃] core unit” Neuman, D.; Paraskevopoulou, P.; Psaroudakis, N.; Mertis, K.; Staples, R., J.; Stavropoulos, P. Inorg. Chem. 2000, 39, 5530.

       http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/ic000449t

27.  “A theoretical study on the solvolytic reactivity of the [Re₃(μ-Cl₃)Cl₉]^n- clusters (n = 3, 4) using ab initio and density functional theory calculations” Psaroudakis, N.; Mertis, K.; Liakos, D. G.; Simandiras, E. D. Chem. Phys. Lett. 2003, 369, 490.

       doi:10.1016/S0009-2614(02)02045-6

28.  “First examples of homogeneous catalytic cyclotrimerization and polymerization of phenylacetylene and copolymerization of phenylacetylene and norbornene with dinuclear complexes containing unbridged metal-metal quadruple bond” Mertis, K.; Arbilias, S.; Argyris, D.; Psaroudakis, N.; Vohlídal, J.; Lavastre, O.; Dixneuf, P. H. Collect. Czech. Chem. Comm. 2003, 68, 1094.

       http://cccc.uochb.cas.cz/68/6/1094/

29.  “Catalytic Selective Oxidation of Benzyl Alcohols to Aldehydes with Rhenium Complexes” Paraskevopoulou, P.; Psaroudakis, N.; Koinis, S.; Stavropoulos, P.; Mertis, K. J. Mol. Catal. A: Chem. 2005, 240, 27.

       doi:10.1016/j.molcata.2005.06.035

30.  “Efficient Chemoselective Oxidation of Phenylmethanols to Aldehydes with Iodosobenzene” Paraskevopoulou, P.; Petalidou, E.; Psaroudakis, N.; Stavropoulos, P.; Mertis, K. Monatsh. Chem. 2005, 136, 2035.

http://www.springerlink.com/content/u18801168732841t/

31.  “Theoretical investigation of the stepwise hydrolysis of the [Re₃(μ-Cl₃)Cl₉]^3- anion” Liakos, D. G.; Simandiras, E. D.; Psaroudakis, N.; Mertis, K.; Inorg. Chem. 2007, 46, 2167.

       http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/ic061862p

32.  “Catalytic Polymerization of Alkynes with the Quadruply Bonded Octachloroditungsten Anion” Floros, G.; Saragas, N.; Paraskevopoulou, P.; Choinopoulos, I.; Koinis, S.; Psaroudakis, N.; Pitsikalis, M.; Mertis, K. J. Mol. Catal. A: Chem. 2008, 289, 76.

       doi:10.1016/j.molcata.2008.04.012

33.  “Redox Reactivity and Comprehensive Synthetic Chemistry of the Perchloroditungstate [W₂(μ-Cl)₃Cl₆]^n– (n = 3, 2, 1) Anions in Organic Media” Paraskevopoulou, P.; Petalidou, E.; Panas, A.; Ioannou, M.; Koinis, S.; Psaroudakis, N.; Leventis, N.; Stavropoulos, P.; Mertis, K. Polyhedron 2008, 27, 2859.

       doi:10.1016/j.poly.2008.06.032

34.  “Synthesis and characterisation of carbon nanotube modified anodised alumina membranes” Vermisogiou, E. C.; Pilatos, G.; Romanos, G. E.; Karanikolos, G. N.; Boukos, N.; Mertis, K.; Kakizis, N.; Kanellopoulos, N. K Micropor. Mesopor. Mater. 2008, 110, 25.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.micromeso.2007.08.001

35.  “Polymerization of Terminal Alkynes with a Triply Bonded Ditungsten Halo-Complex” Saragas, N.; Floros, G.; Paraskevopoulou, P.; Psaroudakis, N.; Koinis, S.; Pitsikalis, M.; Mertis, K. J. Mol. Catal. A: Chem. 2009, 303, 124.

       doi:10.1016/j.molcata.2009.01.013

36.  “Isolation, Characterization and Computational Studies of the Novel [Mo₃(μ₃-Br)₂(μ-Br)₃Br₆]^2- Cluster Anion” Paraskevopoulou, P.; Makedonas, C.; Psaroudakis, N.; Mitsopoulou, C. A.; Floros, G.; Seressioti, A.; Ioannou, M.; Sanakis, Y.; Rath, N.; Gómez García,C. J.; Stavropoulos, P.; Mertis, K. Inorg. Chem. 2010, 49, 2068.

       http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/ic901432j

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